After only giving the Apple Watch Ultra 2 a new look last year with no hardware upgrades, Apple has finally announced the Apple Watch Ultra 3 at this year’s “Awe dropping” event alongside the Apple Watch Series 11 and other devices.
With two years between this model and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, there are plenty of new features to talk about. Here is what you need to know about both the new smartwatches.
Larger wide-angle OLED display with faster refresh rate (Apple Watch Ultra 3)
Brighter even when viewed at an angle.
For the Apple Watch Ultra 3, despite retaining the same 49mm case size, Apple has managed to shrink the bezels by 24% to fit in a larger viewing area, with a display of 422x514 pixels compared to the Ultra 2’s 410x502 display.
This new display is an LTPO3 OLED Always-on Retina display, which is a step up from the older LTPO2 OLED Always-on Retina display and allows for a faster refresh rate when in always-on mode. Additionally, this new display is able to be brighter when viewed off-axis, which will improve legibility.
5G support
List of telcos worldwide that support 5G cellular plans for Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 will both support 5G connectivity, which is a big upgrade in terms of connectivity, since current Apple Watches with cellular are still using 4G LTE. From this screenshot of the keynote, we can see that both Singtel and M1 will offer 5G plans for the new Apple Watches.
New health tracking features
We already get a whole bunch of health tracking features in the Apple Watches, but we’re getting even more this year.
Hypertension detection.
First up is hypertension detection. Using the optical heart rate sensor, machine learning and medical studies, Apple has a new algorithm that reviews data over 30-day periods to help detect patterns that could indicate possible hypertension in a wearer.
With hypertension affecting one in three adults in Singapore according to the National Population Health Survey 2022, this new feature could help warn people with undiagnosed hypertension. Apple claims they expect to notify over 1 million people of possible hypertension within the first year, and they’re planning to release this feature in over 150 countries and regions.
Sleep Score.
Sleep Score is the other new feature, although we’ve already seen competitors like Samsung, FitBit and others implement a similar feature previously. Apple will use the hours in rest and sleep stages to calculate a sleep score and provide a breakdown with sleep score tracking over time available in the Health app on iPhone.
Satellite connectivity (Apple Watch Ultra 3-exclusive)
Emergency SOS via satellite, and satellite texting.
Apple has finally brought satellite connectivity to its smartwatches, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 will now be able to tap into satellite networks for off-grid texting. It won’t be limited to just emergency SOS messages, so people with active cellular plans will also be able to text friends and family if they’re somewhere remote without cellular service, and Find My will work as well.
Emergency SOS via satellite on Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Emergency SOS via satellite will be included with Apple Watch Ultra 3 for two years.
Improved battery life
Both watches get improved battery life, wih the Apple Watch Series 11’s re-engineered battery providing up to 24 hours of battery life. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 gets up to 42 hours of battery life.
Improved durability on Apple Watch Series 11
Apple Watch Series 11.
Availability and Pricing Details
Made with Apple’s Ion-X glass, the cover glass for the aluminium models of the Apple Watch Series 11 are now 2x more scratch resistant compared to the Series 10. This is done through a ceramic coating that’s bonded to the glass via a physical vapour deposition process.
Apple Watch Ultra 3.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be available in Natural Titanium and Black Titanium, with pre-orders starting today and general availability from 19 September. The Watch Ultra 3 is priced at S$1,199.
Apple Watch Series 11 colours for aluminium models
As for the Apple Watch Series 11, there will be four available colours for the aluminium model: Jet Black, Silver, Rose Gold and the new Space Grey colourway. The watch can be pre-ordered today and will be available from 19 September onwards, starting from S$599 for the aluminium model and S$1,049 for the titanium version (in Slate, Gold, and Natural colours).
Wondering how the new Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 watches actually feel in real life? Stay tuned for our hands-on, right from Apple’s launch at their headquarters. To pre-order them, click here.
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